30-07-2025
Considering A Self-Healing Network? Leverage These Expert Tips
Self-healing networks—systems that automatically detect, diagnose and fix network issues without human intervention—promise a future of near-zero downtime, automated fault recovery and more resilient digital infrastructure. But for all their upsides, they're far from a plug-and-play solution. Companies exploring this technology should take the time to understand the complexity, investment and cultural shifts required to do it right.
Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share their top advice for businesses evaluating self-healing networks. Their insights highlight not only how to unlock the technology's full potential, but also what pitfalls to avoid when implementing and managing these systems at scale.
1. Rethink And Define Your Network Architecture
While a deep tech explanation is probably expected, in reality, the greatest value of this exercise is that the company has to rethink and define the architecture of its network solution from scratch. Through this exercise, companies discover opportunities to mitigate business risks, improving service quality and efficiency. Self-healing is just one aspect when the exercise concludes. - Agur Jõgi, Pipedrive
2. Adopt AES-Based Encryption
As networks evolve to become autonomous and self-healing, AES-based encryption is no longer optional—it's essential. Self-repairing systems without robust encryption risk recovering into a compromised state. AES, with its proven strength and efficiency, ensures that resilience is matched by the security needed for truly trusted infrastructure. - Srinivas Shekar, Pantherun Technologies
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3. Invest In Monitoring And Automation Up Front
One important thing to know is that self-healing networks reduce downtime but require upfront investment in intelligent monitoring and automation tools. The benefit? Long-term cost savings, fewer outages and faster recovery—but only if the network is designed with accurate telemetry and adaptive response rules from the start. - Sanjoy Sarkar, First Citizens Bank
4. Establish A Mature Infrastructure And Well-Defined Policies
A self-healing network boosts uptime and reduces manual intervention, but success hinges on having a mature infrastructure and well-defined policies. Without proper configuration, automated responses can misfire. Businesses must invest in setup, monitoring and governance to truly benefit from a self-healing network's resilience and automation. - Hemanth Volikatla, SAP America Inc.
5. Understand That Full Autonomy Is Still Years Away
A fully self-healing network that detects, diagnoses and fixes network issues without any human involvement is still years away. But low-code/no-code automation platforms and AI will make those processes faster and easier while taking incremental steps toward self-healing. Make sure these AI and automation tools have access to live network data—it makes everything much more accurate. - Song Pang, NetBrain Technologies
6. Ensure Proper Design And Governance
One important thing a business should know when considering a self-healing network is that while it significantly reduces downtime and automates fault recovery, it requires careful initial setup, continuous monitoring and robust security policies. Without proper design and governance, automated responses could unintentionally escalate issues or create security gaps. - Bhupendra Singh, Marriott International
7. Prioritize Visibility
A self-healing network doesn't just fix problems; it hides them. That's powerful—and risky. You'll reduce downtime, yes, but if you stop monitoring root causes, small issues can quietly become structural. Invest in visibility as much as automation or you'll be flying blind with autopilot on. - Oleg Sadikov, DeviQA
8. Take Advantage Of Continuous Learning
Self-healing networks excel at executing playbooks for known issues, but their true strength lies in continuous learning. Businesses must understand that it's not a set-and-forget system—ongoing reinforcement learning is key to adapting to new failures and evolving the system's intelligence over time. - Kiran Patibandla
9. Start With Clean Data And A Clear Plan
Self-healing networks sound like magic, but the real power lies in how you build them. They don't just fix problems; they free your teams to focus on what matters. But it takes more than tech. You need clean data, smart automation and a clear plan. The leaders who get it right aren't just preventing downtime—they're building a smarter, calmer future. - Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Morgan Stanley
10. Focus On Observability And Clear Failover Rules
Self-healing networks are great for cutting downtime, but here's the catch: they're complex. You'll need top-notch observability and crystal-clear failover rules, because a bad setup can trigger a chain reaction of failures. But if you get it right, you'll see a big jump in resilience and a drop in operating costs thanks to quick, automated fixes. - Rohit Ayyagari, SunRun
11. Make Sure You Have The Necessary Infrastructure And Expertise
One important thing a business should know is that while a self-healing network can improve uptime and reduce manual intervention, initial implementation can be complex and resource-intensive. Businesses must ensure they have the necessary infrastructure and expertise for proper integration, as the setup phase can require significant time and investment. - Sandeep Telu, Infosys Consulting
12. Reduce Risk Through Proper Configuration And Zero-Trust Principles
A self-healing network isn't a plug-and-play solution—it requires disciplined IT processes, visibility and cybersecurity alignment. While it can reduce downtime and automate recovery, without proper configuration and zero-trust principles, it may mask deeper vulnerabilities instead of fixing them. - Scott Alldridge, IP Services
13. Assess External Dependencies
A self-healing network provides greater resilience, stability and consistency of service, but it comes with added implementation costs. Businesses should assess their dependencies on external vendors and manage the potential impact of those dependencies by establishing robust SLOs, SLIs and SLAs. Any dependent, business-critical services should be able to meet the desired objectives in order to fully take advantage of the benefits of a self-healing network. - Abhi Shimpi
14. Consider Skills Gaps
Businesses should consider the skills gap challenge. Self-healing networks cut downtime, but many firms lack AI-skilled staff to manage them. Nokia's training for AT&T's 5G rollout shows the way. Upskill teams to unlock resilience, ensuring AI-driven networks don't outpace expertise. - Durga Krishnamoorthy, Cognizant Technology Solutions
15. Invest In Clean Telemetry, Secure Automation And Identity-Aware Enforcement
Self-healing networks don't just fix faults; they help encode better judgment. If that logic is flawed, you automate failure pretty quickly. Invest first in clean telemetry, secure automation and identity-aware enforcement. It's still key to know what the common issues are. Healing is definitely power, but only alongside visibility, auditability and controls that know who triggered what and why. - Dan Sorensen
16. Incorporate Clear Identity And Access Governance
A self-healing network can enhance security, but without clear identity and access governance, it risks automating the wrong actions. Integrating knowledge graphs and digital twins allows organizations to simulate identity relationships and access paths. This ensures that corrective actions are context-aware and don't disrupt legitimate access. - Craig Davies, Gathid
17. Build In Root-Cause Logging
From what I have seen in real-world systems, self-healing networks sound ideal but can mask deeper issues if not designed with transparency. They should not just fix problems silently, but log root causes clearly. Long-term resilience comes from learning, not just recovery. - Gopinath Kathiresan, Apple Inc.
18. Be Ready For The Impact On Engineers' Workloads
Auditing the system will increase the workload for the engineers who maintain it. While the overall effort may ultimately save time and money, this is not a system you can simply 'set and forget.' It's essential to understand the processes of detection, patching and healing as well as the resulting outcomes. More often than not, automated systems can veer off course without proper human oversight. - WaiJe Coler, InfoTracer
19. Update Your KPIs
Before investing, consider how your business measures success. Self-healing networks shift the focus from reacting to predicting, so KPIs must evolve. Traditional metrics like 'incident count' may decline, with value now lying in 'prevented failures.' Without redefining performance metrics, you risk misjudging progress. - Roman Vinogradov, Improvado
20. Emphasize Prevention Over Repair
Prevention is more powerful than repair. Investing in self-healing infrastructure isn't just about crisis management; it's about sustained performance, stress resistance and long-term system reliability. A well-architected self-healing network rarely experiences catastrophic failure. It is an important layer in a broader strategy, one that relies on smart design and the people behind the scenes. - Trisha Swift, Mula Integrative Health & Wellness
